New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1887-07-30

represent smaller proportion OF 1he prop-
erty exposed. ~
Some fire insurance companies have been
doing risky business, and appear to be in
peril Competing with each other beyond
reason, and reducing premiums so FAR that
only an enormous increase in risk could Sc
cure them profit they have taken enormously
increased risks Whether they were wise or
not their managers must decide. But they
should not try to get up general scare about
the loud-mouthed and windy Socialists on
slender foundation of fact
---------
A peculiar explanation is given by tobacco
dealers of the rise in the prices Of certain grades
Private firms contracted early in the year to
supply France Spain and Italy at low prices !;
and to injure these firms the dealers and planters
in this country entered into compact to restrict
production. This would seem 70 be somewhat in
the line of "bitng of your nose to spite your
face" Perhaps Ii is q safe operation for the future
if the foreign dealers are dependent solely this
market
New-Yorker writes to "The Buffalo Tines
that Jake Sharp was convicted by prejudice.
Yes. there is q deep-rooted and growing prejudice
existing in the metropolis against bribe-givers
and bribe-talIers.
What Higgins to be removed That cuckoo
song of the despairing Mugwump has been heard
at intervals ever since the Administration took
possession of the loaves and fishes. Higgins
like Garland, will remain in Office until the last.
Zach is useful in his way. One stands for the
practical working of Democratic reform and the
other for it's theoretical ethics. Higgins may
be cautioned against talking too much among
his Baltimore pals, but he will not be removed.
II, as announced from Sophia, Prince Ferdi-
nand goes next month TO Bulgaria and assumes
the sovereignty TO which he has been elected, he
will be acting with more decision than prudence.
Doubtless the Bulgarians want him, and probably
he would make them good ruler. And since
the Powers OF Europe have neglected their in
terests and failed TO provide them with Prince
the Bulgarians are morally right in asserting
their independence and setting up Prince with
out waiting for the sanction which the Powers
seem inclined never TO give. But courage and
decision will avail Ferdinand no more than they
did Alexander nor Will the patriotic ardor OF
the people count for more against selfish ntrigues
than it did against the Cars midnight free
hooters. Ferdinand may go TO Sophia, but he
Will leave that capital and his throne the
moment il pleases Russia to have him there no
longer, ana MS tenure OF ONCE VIII DC, as 1Tlnce
bismarck observed to Alexander of Battenberg
on his election to the post, AN agreeable
rcminiscence.D
II Is difficult to how President Cleveland can
fail 10 act on the case OF the notorious HiggIns. 1t
.hnll bo proved. n II probably viii be. that he ex
crtc himself actively In the recent primary elections
in Baimorc.-The Boston Herald
o, no. Il is not difficult 10 see anything of the
lund. So long as the President in fragrant de-
hance Of public sentiment and OF his own reform
professions retains Mr.. Garland in bis Cabinet,
why shonld he be expected 10 act in the case OF
the comparatively Insignificant Higgins2
Travellers in Egypt need no longer 30 far up
the Nile in order to catch glimpse OF temple
ruins on grand scale. The site OF the Tx
ploration Funds latest discovery and excavation
the great temple at Bubastis-is short dis
tancc from the railway ut Zagazg. between Is
MALTA and Cairo and not very far from the
battlefield OF Telel- kcbir DR.. Naville hopes To
clear the entire temple area from end To end
another season. Mr. Griffith estimates the length
Of the temple AT 800 feet from the gateway TO
the back of the building, with an average width
Of 100 feet. These dimensions fall but little
short OF the great temple OF ZoaD disclosed by
Mr.. Petric. The Egypt Exploration Fund is doing
great work and deserves heartier and larger
support than it receives from American patrons.
The Assembly Committee to investigate tele-
phone matters has begun its sessions in Utica.
1t will not have 10 do more than scratch the
surfaco 70 find out that the telephone charges
arc ouuageously high.
naval officer, evidently we'll informed and
fair minded, presents in The Herald" an
elaborate defence OF the Ordnance Bureaus opera
tions on the ATLANTA. He asserts that the guns
have not failed, but have endured the crucial
test Of rapid firing; that the ship is structuraliy
strong and that the only trouble developed in
the target practice was a weakness IN the mode
Of holding the carriages down TO the deck.
At THE 1RiBuNs has not criticised either the
guns or the ship, but has simply charged that
the battery was improperly pivoted TO the gun
deck, this officer in the course OF an interesting
column fully sustains everything we have said
on this subject. The Ordnance Bureau undoubt-
eddy deserves credit for designing and supern-
tend ng the construction of the guns, and it can
plead in eXtenuaton of it's mistakes in mounting
the battery the fact that similar blunders have
been made in the English and French navics
We believe that the Bureau rectify its
errors il it be given a fair chance, and fully
coincide with the naval officers opinion that the
Dolphin, Atlanta, Chicago and Boston are as
good as any four ships Of their class In the
world. lie thinks that the reasons for raising
a great racket over each of these vessels In turn
are contemplate. Apparently he is not aware
that he is rejecting upon the head of the Navy
Department. who has been bent upon proving
that these vessels were failures and that the
lest experts in the service do not know how
to design modern ships of war.
PERSONAL